Rain In Rivendell
Disclaimer: not mine.
A/N: I know this has taken longer to post – I've been away for a few days with no Internet access. I was away for 5 days (not really *that* long) and I come back to find my Inbox completely full!!
Thanks to:
Lord Elrond of Hogwarts – glad you're continuing to enjoy it!
Mirielle – I'm assuming you didn't *intentionally* submit the same review for chapter two 20 times, and that it happened at a time when FF.Net was suffering from 'a software glitch'. And the twins will be doing lots of running soon! Most fics concerning the twins portray them of being mischievous pranksters (often with young Estel!) and I thought I'd carry on the tradition!
Estel Elven Enchantress – 'irate' is putting it rather mildly!! The correct language style is important to me, as it makes the stories flow better. It drives me mad when I see stories with characters (particularly Elves) who use modern slang. It grates on me. With regards to your review for chapter 3, I don't think it's possible for Elrond to feel anything else *but* hopelessness by this point! And it's not over by a looooooooooong way!! Cool name, by the way.
rio_b – glad you like! I don't know what it is with me and LOTR humour; it just keeps coming! Have a great 6 months in Ecuador and stay in touch!!!
Zammy – I have indeed updated soon! "…Loud and long and clear" (Mary Poppins)
lucidity – I loved the pillow fight as well! I couldn't resist an encore for the feather!
Lily Frost – nope, your review for chapter 2 didn't go through, I'm afraid. I don't think Arwen's the one who should be concerned about damaging vital objects *cough*twins*cough*
Also thanks to ILUVSHINO-KUN and Cerridwen-Evereven (really good name)
A/N 2: that's that done. Now on with the story!!! And don't forget to review!!!
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Chapter 4
"I am plagued by pangs of hunger."
A snort of disbelief. "How? You ate enough to last you a week at least!"
"I missed dessert."
"And whose fault was that, brother dearest?"
"I did not ask the cooks to make apple pie! Not that I am complaining, for I have a weakness for such things."
"Clearly."
"Perhaps I should slip into the kitchens for some."
"That will be the very first place Ada thinks of looking for us! We are fugitives, remember?"
The elder twin swore loudly.
"Keep your voice down, for crying out loud! Do you want to be caught?"
Elladan scowled
"I prove my point."
"It may be wise to escape the near vicinity of the house entirely for several hours," remarked Elladan, idly chewing on a piece of straw.
"At last you see sense."
"But whither do we go?"
"Anywhere. Though it is most likely advisable to avoid the western perimeter, for Glorfindel is guarding it today, and a wet Glorfindel is best left alone."
Elladan nodded fervently. "Especially as I have not yet been forgiven for placing a pail of water upon his bedroom door last week."
"All the more reason to avoid it, then." Elrohir paused. "How think you to Ada's reaction if a similar event were to occur to him?"
"Arwen will carry out that task later today. I believe paint or dye to be involved as opposed to plain water."
"Good. All the less blame for us."
"Come. Let us depart." Elladan rose to his feet, his twin following suit, and they donned their outdoor cloaks from the Rivendell tack room before heading out into the rain. "Hopefully the rain shall wash away any tracks that we make."
"Arassuil is not Chieftain of the Dúnedain for nothing," pointed out Elrohir.
"Speak not of that!" Elladan reached up and swung up into a nearby tree. "If we travel by trees, we are less likely to be caught. Only Arwen and Legolas would think to look in them for us."
"Ada might."
"Stop being such a wet blanket!"
"I am trying only to avoid our being caught!" Elrohir nonetheless climbed into the tree behind his brother. They journeyed in silence for a few minutes until Elladan abruptly stopped, barely moving. Elrohir was puzzled until he saw three Elves approaching on the ground. One was Erestor, and the other two were from the realm of the twins' grandmother in Lothlórien. Elrohir did not recognise one, but the other he instantly identified as Haldir, who was one of the most 'prissy' (Legolas' words) and pretty Elves ('pretty' was used as opposed to 'handsome' due to Haldir's somewhat feminine appearance, according to the twins). He grinned. The opportunity was too good to miss. Glad of the loud noise of the rain upon every surface, he quietly broke off from the tree its nut, still in its shell, and dropped it.
"What on Arda…?" exclaimed Haldir in confusion, looking around for the offensive item and its source. The twins had by now melted into the trees, hidden from view from even Elven eyes – a trick taught to them long ago by Legolas. "My hair is already enough of a mess from the incessant rain, without the trees throwing things at me as well!"
"Peace, Haldir," said Erestor gently. "Our trees are not like those of Mirkwood. They do not throw their precious fruit at passers-by." He held up the nut to the Lórien Elf, then turned his gaze upwards, his sharp eyes briefly catching a glimpse of an Elven cloak, and he raised his voice. "Surely you know that were it the middle of winter, Haldir, you would not be wondering how you came to have objects thrown at you."
"I would not?" Haldir's brow furrowed in confusion.
"No. The trees would, in winter, reveal the sons of Elrond, would they not?"
The twins exchanged identical expressions of horror at having been identified.
Erestor smiled benevolently. "Come, show yourselves. Unless, of course, the trees really are throwing their fruit at us – a matter that would have to be reported to Lord Elrond."
The twins' faces fell and they dropped reluctantly from the trees. Erestor smiled again. "So it was indeed you."
The culprits nodded sheepishly. Haldir glared.
Erestor beckoned to them. "Would I be correct in thinking that you are escaping from your father for some reason?"
"Errr…" began Elladan, shuffling his feet.
"Well…" began Elrohir, doing the same.
Erestor shook his head in amusement. "You will be the death of your father yet, gwanûn," he said. "Relax; I shall say nothing to him of this. Neither will Haldir."
The Lórien Elf's eyes widened. "But –"
"Neither will Haldir."
Haldir subsided, though he continued to mutter under his breath. Erestor set off walking again, at a fast pace so as to be out of the rain sooner. The twins followed in silence until Elladan stopped short. Elrohir was so close behind him, eyes fixed to the ground as he searched for mushrooms, that he collided with Elladan, knocking him flat on his face, straight into a very wet, very muddy puddle with a resounding splash. Elrohir landed atop him and rolled to one side, landing in another puddle. Both emerged coated from head to foot in mud and looking extremely sorry for themselves. The other three struggled to maintain straight faces.
Elrohir's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of the thing for which he had been searching and he scrambled in the direction of it – or rather, them.
Elladan was close behind after instructing Erestor to return to Rivendell without them. "What is it you seek?"
Elrohir took out his knife and carefully sliced several mushrooms from their roots. "Do you recognise these?"
"Of course, for I taught you to recognise these."
"You did not! Ada did!"
Elladan chose to ignore this comment. "And what do you intend to do with them?"
"You know I am good friends with the cook's youngest daughter?"
Elladan regarded him suspiciously. "What do you intend to do to her?"
"Oh, not to her! But it gives me easy, explainable access to the kitchens – and thus to Ada's food."
A wicked smile widened upon Elladan's face. "I see where you are going with this. I like it!"
"Ada should experience the effects of hallucinogenic mushrooms firsthand, should he not? After all, it is not as though they will make him ill or will cause any permanent damage. Two hours of hallucinations and no more."
"I could have thought of nothing better myself. How do you plan on drying them out so quickly? And on ensuring that they make it into Ada's food and nobody else's?"
"I have my ways. My friend is serving and will ensure that nothing goes astray."
"I hope that that is the case; I do not want to be suffering the effects, for that would cause the plan to backfire entirely."
Elrohir nodded. "Indeed it would. As for drying them, they are more potent when moist, or so Erestor informed me a few years ago when I nearly ate one by accident."
"Even better. Shall we return and improve our appearance?"
"It would be advisable, yes. And we should avoid Ada, for he will be furious."
The pair traipsed along in silence for some time until they reached home, caked in mud and looking like drowned rats (as the saying goes). Elladan glanced around furtively before removing his boots and leaving by the outside door, to be retrieved later. They were fortunate to be seen by none save for their sister, who, upon seeing them, pushed them into Elladan's room and shut the door. "You must change at once!" she hissed at them, "and then hide! Ada is certain that you will be able to explain the stuck door of the green conference room, and he will not hesitate in seeking you out!"
"Haldir is here," Elladan informed her as she briskly removed his cloak and smart (and now extremely muddy) shirt from him. "Elrohir threw a nut at him from a tree."
"Oh, confound it all, you two! Why must you make more trouble for yourselves? You know what Haldir is like; he will inform Ada!"
"I did not tell him to throw the nut – ouch!"
"It is no less than you deserve," responded Arwen as she rubbed a harsh towel against her brother's skin to dry him off.
"But you were willing to partake in the fun earlier," said Elrohir, puzzled at his sister's sudden change in mood. "Why are you so irritable all of a sudden? Is it a female hormonal thing?"
Elladan winced. Wrong move, he thought.
"WHY MUST IT ALWAYS BE 'A FEMALE HORMONAL THING' EVERY TIME WITH YOU?" exploded Arwen. "COULD IT PERHAPS BE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED A LONG LECTURE – IN FRONT OF ALL OUR GUESTS, NO LESS – FROM ADA? WELL, COULD IT? COULD IT??" She threw the towel at Elrohir and it landed on his head. She smirked in satisfaction. "At least I no longer have to look upon your mud-covered face. Now leave me in peace and save your rudeness for another. I refuse to partake in any more of your childish mischief-making." She pushed him in the direction of the door that connected the twins' rooms without them having to go out into the main hallway, opened it, pushed him through, and slammed the door. A wicked grin played upon her lips and Elladan trembled. There was nothing more fear-inducing than his sister when she was in one of her moods. He was in for a very hard time.
He was not looking forward to it.
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~TBC~
Elvish translations:
gwanûn – (a pair of) twins
